Railway-tie.



No. 758,463. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904. W. A. NICHOLS 6r J. F. NEFF.

RAILWAY TIE. l

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PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. NICHOLS `AND JOHN F. NEFF, OF BELMONT, OHIO RAILWAY-TI E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. l758,463, dated April26, 1904.

Application ned Obaba 10, 1903A.v

` T a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. NICHOLS and JOHN F. NEFF, citizens oftheUnited States, and residents of Belmont, in the county of Belmont andState of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement inRailway-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in railway-ties, and is composedof wood and metal so proportioned and arranged that a relatively smallamount of wood is required, and the wooden portion is surrounded by themetal except on the lower surface, where it rests on the road-bed withthe metal portion of the tie; and it consists in certain novel featuresof construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a view of a section of arailroad-bed in plan, showing the application of our improvements. Fig.2 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of our improved ties; andFigs. 3 and l are transverse sections, one through the central portionof the tie and one through one of the grooves.

The tie comprises a metal portion which may be cast in the form of a boxor inverted trough, comprising the vtop 1, sides 2 2, and ends 3 3, itbeing hollow through the center and open along the bottom. The hollowcenter is provided with a filling 4, relatively small in dimensions ascompared with the surrounding metal and the lower surface of which isflush, preferably, with the remaining portion of the tie where it restsupon the road-bed, the object of this arrangement being to insure thesupport of the wooden portion upon the ground, so that it will have theaccustomed cushioning eifect of an ordinary wooden tie, while possessingthe advantages of an allmetal tie by virtue of' the surrounding case ofmetal.

I The tie is transversely grooved, asat 5 5, and these grooves justextend to the surface of the wood. The wooden vblocks 6 6 are fitted inthese grooves and may or may not be secured to the wooden iilling uponwhich they rest throughout their centers, while being supported at ornear their ends upon the Serial No. 176,507 (No model.)

metal sides 2 2 of the tie. VLikewise these blocks may, if desired, beof sufficient length to rest at their ends upon the ballast. Likewise itis our purpose to thicken the metal more or less, as at 7 7, where theseblocks rest, in order to give the required strength where the pressureof the rails and rollingstock is largely sustained. The upper surfacesof the blocks 6 6 are preferably lower than the upper surface of thetie, so that grooves are still formed for the rails 8 8. A notch 10 isformed in the sides of the metal groove to receive the vertical flangeof the L- shaped clamping-bolt 9; also,a notch for spike, if such isused, between the edge of the rail and the edge of the groove, whereby ari'gid fastening is provided for the rails. These clamping bolts orspikes may extend in opposite directions on opposite sides of the railsafter the usual manner of driving the spikes in railroad construction.In this way both the rails and blocks are clamped or spiked on eachside, and thus prevented from appreciable movement or vibration, thusproducing a solid road-bed. In this-way we are enabled to greatly reducethe amount of wood used, while at the same time deriving the necessaryelasticity in -the tie and preventing the contact of rails and metalportions of the tie, thus eliminating the noise and clatter which wouldotherwise result.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the several parts described without departing from thespirit and scope of our invention, and hence we do not wish to limitourselves to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is- I l. Arailway-tie, comprisingabox orinverted-trough shaped metal portion, and awooden portion inclosedthereby at its sides, top and ends, with its lower surface resting uponand supported solely upon the ground, the tie thus formed beingtransversely grooved at points where the rails aresupported.

2. 'A railway-tie, comprising a wooden core surrounded on its sides, topand ends with metal, the tie thus formed transversely IOO grooved,wooden blocks located in said grooves, the blocks adapted to receive therails thereon, and means extending between the blocks and edges of thegrooves for clamping the blocks and rails.

3. A railway-tie comprising a wooden core surrounded on all sides butthe bottom with metal, the wood and metal flush or approximately ush onthe lower surface so that both wood and metal are supported on theroadbed, the tie having transverse grooves on its upper surface, thesides of the metal portion being thickened at the ends of the grooves,Wooden blocks of less Width than the Width of the grooves, located insaid grooves, and

fastening means for clamping the blocks and rails to the tie thusformed.

4. A railway-tie comprising an outer shell of metal entirely open at thebottom and a wooden core which fills the outer shell adapted to rest atthe bottom upon the road-bed and adapted to sustain the rails thereon.

In testimony whereof We have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM A. NICHOLS. JOHN F. NEFF. Witnesses:

D. R. PERKINS, D. E. Amm.

